Lichfield War Memorial, Garden Walls, Balustrades and Gate with Gate Piers

Overlooked by Lichfield Cathedral to the north, the war memorial screen forms part of the Cathedral Close and Linear Park, which is a Grade II registered group. The memorial, along with C18 red brick garden walls, gate piers, and C19 stone balustrading, was initially listed at Grade II on 5 February 1952. A wrought iron garden gate, featuring an ornamented overthrow displaying the motto PAX – 1919, is suspended between large brick piers capped with ashlar. These piers support tall stone heraldic lions bearing Lichfield city’s coat of arms and frame the war memorial from Bird Street.

The war memorial itself is designed in the English Renaissance style and comprises a large ashlar screen wall constructed from Guiting stone, resembling the façade of a classical basilican church and raised on a high plinth. The pedimented centre of the screen, supported by reeded and fluted Roman Ionic pilasters, features a semi-circular, shell-headed niche containing a Portland stone figure of St George standing on a dragon. St George holds a bronze spear in his right hand and a shield in his left. The tympanum of the pointed pediment is carved with a scallop shell and leaves in relief.

Flanking the niche are panels displaying the years 1914 to 1919, suspended from lion masks and interspersed with bunches of hanging fruit and flowers. The side compartments include crowned wreaths within half gables featuring swept copings and panelled end piers, which are topped with tall, urn-like pinnacles finished with a ball and draped foliage.

The lower section of the memorial holds six Westmorland slate plaques arranged in two rows of three. The main dedicatory inscription, flanked by lists of names, on the upper middle plaque reads: REMEMBER WITH THANKSGIVING/ THE MEN OF THIS CITY/ WHO IN THEIR/ COUNTRYS HOUR OF NEED/ WENT FORTH/ ENDURED HARDNESS/ FACED DANGER/ AND FINALLY/ PASSED OUT OF/ THE SIGHT OF MEN/ BY THE PATH OF SACRIFICE/ AND THE GATE OF DEATH/ LET ALL WHO COME AFTER/ SEE TO IT/ THAT THESE DEAD/ SHALL NOT HAVE DIED/ IN VAIN/ THAT THEIR NAME/ BE NOT FORGOTTEN/ AND WHAT THEY STROVE FOR/ PERISH NOT. The upper left and right plaques list additional names.

A later dedication, also flanked by names, on the lower middle plaque reads: THESE LOWER PANELS/ ARE DEDICATED/ TO THOSE/ WHO DIED/ IN THE CAUSE/ OF FREEDOM/ DURING/ THE WORLD WAR/ 1939-1945/ AND THE/ STRUGGLES WHICH/ FOLLOWED. The two plaques on either side record the remaining fallen of the Second World War.

The ensemble is listed as a complete composition, but the war memorial itself is considered to possess particular significance.